 EXTREMADURA
Birds of prey, bustards, sandgrouse and brilliant birding
Saturday 18 April - Saturday 25 April 2009
Price: £1245 pp
Single Supp: £115 pp Deposit: £300 pp
Extremadura and the Monfrague Natural Park are brimming with some of the best birdwatching in Europe, featuring many of Europe’s rarest and most endangered species. This remarkable two-centre holiday is based here and also in the impressive ‘Spanish Steppes’ around La Serena, one of the most important areas in the world for grassland birds.
We will enjoy truly outstanding raptor watching, with all five Spanish
eagles, Bonelli’s, Golden, Booted, Short-toed and endangered Spanish
Imperial, and three vultures, Black, Egyptian and Griffon. Sightings of these birds can be truly exceptional, as all are located close to our vehicles, and we also often have access to areas normally unavailable to birders. Lesser Kestrel and Black-winged Kite are a delight in sites we know well, and we should have regular sightings of Montague's Harrier.
One evening after dinner we will explore for Red-necked Nightjar, seen extremely well in previous years as this picture demonstrates!
The holiday begins with a transfer south into the steppes, with birds of prey overhead virtually from the start. The birding really is exceptional, with birds every few yards it seems. During our days in the steppes, we expect to see good numbers of Great Bustard, and also look for the spectacular breeding display as
males almost turn themselves inside out and look like huge white balls
of feathers. Other sought-after specialities here are Little Bustard, Black-bellied
and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. Other birds likely in this tremendous area include Bee-eater,
Stone Curlew, Collared Pratincole,
Black Wheatear, Rock Bunting, Southern Grey Shrike, Golden Oriole, Little
Owl, Alpine Swift, Red-rumped Swallow, Calandra Lark, Woodlark, Short-toed
Lark, Tawny Pipit, Black-eared Wheatear, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Woodchat
Shrike, Crested Tit, Melodious Warbler, Rock Sparrow, Hawfinch and Penduline Tit, and we take you to breeding places for both White and Black
Stork. We expect very good views of almost all these birds. An exceptional sighting on a recent holiday was of two melanistic Montague's Harriers, which flew alongside the bus for several minutes.
Around rocky pinnacles, Red-legged Chough, Blue Rock Thrush, Thekla Lark, Crag
Martin and Alpine Swift are found, and Eagle Owl can often be seen at their
day-time roost. From our elevated vantage point we can look down south onto the trees of the corkwood dehesa, and north over the arid plains of La Serena. The dehesa holds Hoopoe, Great Spotted Cuckoo and Azure-winged Magpie, and if we have been lucky with spring rains, will be a carpet of dazzling colour as flowers bloom in the brief, warm spring.
In the Monfrague National Park, Azure-winged Magpie, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Purple Heron, Little Bittern,
Spanish Sparrow and Savi´s, Sardinian, Bonelli’s, Subalpine,
Dartford, Spectacled,Orphean, Melodious, and perhaps shy Olivaceous Warbler
are in our sights too. A brilliant experience brim full of birds!
This holiday is leisurely in pace, and most of the key birds are readily available close to our transport. This means we have often rounded everything important up by Friday, giving us a chance to concentrate on getting exceptional views of the key species once more.
Other wildlife include the large and impressive Ocellated Lizard, one unfortunate specimen of which we saw being dismantled by a very close Booted Eagle. Butterflies may include Queen of Spain Fritillary, Green-striped White and Scarce (Spanish) Swallowtail amongst others, and we also got close-up views of Spanish fighting bulls!
 
Accommodation is in comfortable hotels with all rooms en suite and excellent local produce. In most of the places we stay British birders are never seen, and you get a true flavour of local, rural Spain.
Price includes return scheduled flight from London – Madrid, airport taxes, ground transportation, accommodation and all meals, incidental tips, and the services of Leader Dave Pullan, plus another from our team with more than 7 clients. Max 14 clients.
Please note: all itineraries are given as a guide only. Actual
holiday content may vary according to the judgement of your guide, and
elements beyond our control (eg weather).
|
|
